Food & Wine

Hungry Buddha opening in Belconnen

If you live on the northside, you’re in for a treat this Friday. The Hungry Buddha, one of Canberra’s most well-rated and philanthropic restaurants, is opening a second outlet in Belconnen.

To kick things off, the restaurant is offering a two-course meal for two, including a glass of wine each for just $50. By pre-purchasing your meal coupon, you’ll also go into the draw to win “The Hungry Buddha for a Year”, and be helping a business that has been a consistent source of help and funding for poor communities in Nepal.

If you’ve never been to the Curtin location before, The Hungry Buddha is a Nepalese restaurant dedicated to serving true quality, delicious and ethically-sourced food.

Its menu comprises of traditional dishes, such as mo:mo (steamed chicken dumplings with homemade sauce) and tareko maacha (fish marinated in Himalayan spices and lightly battered with tempura) for entrée, and bheda ko masu (boneless lamb with tomatoes, coriander and bay leaves), Himalaya kukhura (boneless succulent chicken in exotic Himalayan spices) and favourites like butter chicken with naan bread for main. You can even order traditional icecream for dessert!

Owner Lachhu Thapa is well-known for his philanthropic nature, and has dedicated his life (and much of the profits from his business) to helping communities in Nepal. Over the past few years he has raised tens of thousands of dollars, using it to help educate children in Nepal, rebuild the city of Kathmandu after the 2015 earthquakes and support the people of the local community in their initiatives to create sustainable touring businesses.

He also runs a touring business (which hires and pays locals in the community), and organises 4-5 group trips from Australia to Nepal every year.

“It’s been a long and very exciting journey so far,” says Lachhu. “And there is so much more that we can do for the region.

“Tourism is the lifeblood of Nepal’s economy, and the 2015 earthquakes destroyed that. Finally, after 18 months, numbers are starting to increase. But there’s more to be done, and Hungry Buddha is going to help in any way we can.

“The second restaurant in Belconnen is another way to serve the people of Canberra, by providing an amazing Nepalese dining experience. But the hidden agenda is that we will make more money, which we can then give to the beautiful Nepalese people who so desperately need our support.”

To support The Hungry Buddha (and score yourself an amazing Nepalese meal at half price), simply head to http://www.deals.thehungrybuddha.com.au and purchase your coupon. The restaurant officially opens on Friday night, and is located at 8/8 Luxton Street, Belconnen.

This deal is only available for a limited time, so you’ll want to get in early.